Prevalence of <i>Helicobacter pylori</i>-associated diseases in the Ural Federal District

Abstract

Introduction Helicobacter pylori has the most pronounced oncogenic potential among known biological carcinogens of humans. Helicobacter positivity leads to the development of chronic gastritis and with prolonged persistence of infection in the gastric mucosa it is associated with the development of atrophic gastritis and adenocarcinoma of the stomach. According to international data, the prevalence of infection in Russia corresponds to the level of countries with low socio-economic status. The domestic literature contains data for a limited number of reggions, such as North-West Russia, Siberia and the Far East.The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori infection and chronic atrophic gastritis among patients residing in the Ural Federal District and to identify risk factors for these diseases using modern diagnostic methods used in clinical practice.Materials and methods Observational non-interventional anonymous cross-sectional study of 11,721 primary patients among those tested for H. pylori infection residing in the Ural Federal District. 13C-urease breath test was performed in 10,882 patients, FGDS with gastric mucosal biopsy according to OLGA and histological evaluation of biopsy specimens – in 839 patients.Results The prevalence of H. pylori infection among primary care patients by 13C-UT was 46.9 % and that of chronic atrophic gastritis by histological evaluation of a biopsy specimen was 24.9 %. The risk of chronic atrophic gastritis was higher in those infected with H. pylori (OR 1.71; 95 % CI: 1.24–2.37, p = 0.002) and in patients over 60 years old.Discussion The resulting prevalence of H. pylori infection in the Ural Federal District is below the levels reported in the current literary for Russia. The increasing prevalence of infection with age confirms the principle that the prevalence of infection depends on changing socio-economic conditions in a generation. The observed prevalence of chronic atrophic gastritis is comparable with the national data. The risk of gastric mucosal atrophy increases with age and in the presence of H. pylori infection, which prompts active screening of gastropathology in this category of individuals.Conclusion The prevalence of H. pylori infection and atrophic gastritis among primary patients, as determined by reference diagnostics, was 46.9 % and 24.9 %, respectively.